"I'm very sorry for keeping you waiting."

I rejoined Sara and her companions, who had been patiently waiting at a table in the Adventurers' Guild. I had ended up making them wait almost thirty minutes.

"No, please don’t worry about it; we’re here because we wanted to be. But the staff seemed quite surprised—are you okay?"

"Yes, it turns out the scales were rarer than I thought. They bought them for two million gold. They said it was a 'Magic Iron Lizard' scale."

"Oh, that is quite rare. Those scales belong to a lizard with exceptionally tough skin; they can be used for both weapons and armor. It’s no wonder they paid you two million gold."

"That's good to know. I only picked it up because it looked pretty, so I lucked out. Now that I have some money, I'd like to grab an early dinner. Do you know any good spots?"

"In that case, there’s a place a little way from here that serves this city's specialty. How about that?"

"That sounds great! Let’s go!"

I'm curious about what unique dishes they have here. The food I had at the mansion yesterday was delicious, though nothing unusual. A city specialty might mean something truly unique.

"Thank you for waiting. Here is the specialty of this city: Slime cuisine."

"Amazing! So, slimes are edible?"

"Yes, normally, slimes disappear once defeated, but with a specific method, they leave behind a body you can eat. We call it 'live slime preparation.' Please enjoy."

The server explained this, and I was honestly surprised. Never thought I’d have a chance to eat slime.

"They discovered this preparation method here, making it a local specialty. Some people can’t handle the texture, though, so if you find it unappetizing, we can order something else."

Sara added some details. I could see how some people might be put off by the idea of eating slime.

"Thank you. I’ll give it a try."

Sara ordered two types of slime dishes: one grilled, the other chopped into small pieces. I tried the grilled one first.

"Hmm, interesting texture."

It had a slightly firm crust from grilling, but the inside was jiggly, almost like jelly. The slime itself had a mild taste, letting the sauce and texture shine.

Next, I tried the small pieces. The spoon revealed a bouncy, jiggling consistency. It moved around in my mouth with each bite, having more elasticity than jelly or custard.

Both dishes focused on texture more than taste. I didn’t mind, but it’s a flavor that not everyone might enjoy. For me, the bright blue and green colors were a little distracting. Still, I never thought I’d actually eat slime.

"It’s quite unique! I like it."

"Glad to hear that. Gina and I are fans, but Darga can’t stand it."

"I just can’t get used to that texture."

"What are you saying? That’s what makes it so good."

"Regular meat or fish would taste better. But, Master Masayoshi, they also serve grilled Wild Boar and Beak Kuk here, which are local specialties. Many food stalls serve them."

"That sounds delicious too! Let’s go check it out!"

Since Darga didn’t try the slime, maybe we should get something he'd enjoy. Plus, I’m curious about monster meat.

We strolled through a bustling food stall area in a nearby plaza, enjoying various foods I’d never even heard of in my world. Exploring this world while tasting local delicacies might not be a bad way to spend my time.

Sara even treated me to lunch. Although I offered to treat her since I’d made some money from the monster materials and she’d been guiding me around, she wouldn’t hear of it.

Later, they took me to a famous park and a busy open-air market. Wandering through an unknown city was surprisingly fun, and time flew until dusk.

"Today was truly enjoyable. Thank you all so much."

"No, I had a wonderful time revisiting the city, Master Masayoshi. Please, let’s do this again sometime."

"Of course, I'd love to."

Though, being royalty, I doubt I’ll be able to invite Sara on a whim. It’s more like polite conversation.

"Are you leaving tomorrow, Master Masayoshi?"

"Yes, I’ll be exploring this area a bit more. But I’ll still be in the city for a while."

Tomorrow is Sunday, marking the end of a long weekend. School resumes the day after. I would love to continue traveling here indefinitely, but I can’t just abandon my world. Traveling in my spare time is probably the right balance for now.

"I see. Well, you are welcome to use your room at the mansion as long as you’re here."

"Thank you, but I can’t impose any further. You’ve already let me stay for two nights."

"You’re our savior, Master Masayoshi. This isn’t nearly enough; there’s no need to be modest. Please, stay with us as long as you like."

"Thank you. I appreciate the offer."

Since I use teleportation magic to return home, I wouldn’t need to stay indefinitely at Sara’s mansion. Though, it might be nice to save up and buy a place in this city someday. I could earn enough by selling a few weapons crafted by the Grand Magician.

"…I see. That’s a shame, but… Master Masayoshi…"

Just then, my danger sense skill activated. My "anticipate" skill also kicked in, letting me draw my sword and knock away two knives aimed at Sara.

"Ahh!"

"Your Highness, we’re under attack!"

"Damn, where are they coming from!?"

Sara fell, and Darga and Gina moved to shield her. Who would be crazy enough to stage an attack in the middle of a city?

"Ahh! Knives just flew at us!"

"Someone’s drawn a sword over there—run!"

"Someone call the guards!"

The plaza erupted in chaos as Darga and I drew our swords. People scattered, and soon we were alone.

"…So you blocked that, did you?"

As the crowd dispersed, a man emerged from a building's shadow. Dressed entirely in black, his face and build were obscured, though his voice suggested he was male.

"Are you… could it be, the Black Assassin?!"

Darga seemed to recognize him. An assassin? That’s grim. Isn’t an all-black outfit kind of conspicuous at dusk?

"…So, you know of me. No matter, you’ll all die anyway."

"Darga, who is he?"

"A first-rank assassin! That black garb is a magic item that completely conceals his presence. He’s wanted in this country. Please, be cautious!"

So, his all-black attire is no joke. His presence is indeed faint, even to my detection skills. It must be thanks to his magic item.

"…What a nuisance, interfering with my assassination of the Third Princess. And I can’t believe my attack was noticed."

Oddly, I don’t feel much threat from him. The monsters in the Grand Magician’s forest seemed far stronger.

"This is too much for us! Master Masayoshi, please, take the princess and escape! We’ll hold him off!"

"Master Masayoshi, please protect Her Highness! We’ll fight to the death if we must!"

"Darga, Gina!"

"…You’re not getting away. Rest assured, I’ll send you to the afterlife…"

"Bind!"

With my binding magic, chains materialized around the Black Assassin, wrapping him tightly.

"…You’re a mage? I didn’t expect that. But don’t think you’ve caught me with this weak spell. I’ll break out in no time and…"

Tugging at the chains

"Damn, these are strong. Impressive. But I’m serious now! Haaaaa!"

Struggling

"Why… why won’t these chains break!?"

"………"

Yep, kind of expected this. He’s definitely stronger than the previous bandits who attacked us, but nothing compared to the monsters in the forest.